NHL Hockey Player News

Brayden McNabb(D)|VGK
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The Sabres have recalled Brayden McNabb from Rochester (AHL).

McNabb, 22, was the 66th overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-4, 205 lbw. defenseman has two goals and 12 points in 15 games with Rochester this season. He skated in 25 games with the Sabres in 2011-12 registering one goal and seven assists.

Source:
John Vogl 2013-11-20T10:45:37.000Z
Brayden McNabb
Luke Adam(C)|
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The Sabres have recalled Luke Adam from Rochester (AHL).

Adam is currently tied for the AHL lead in goals with 13, and his five assists has him leading Rochester with 18 points in 15 games. He has played with the Sabres in three separate seasons, combining for 14 goals and 25 points in 75 games.

Source:
John Vogl 2013-11-20T10:43:06.000Z
Luke Adam
Mikhail Grigorenko(C)|FA
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Mikhail Grigorenko's conditioning assignment has been rejected by the NHL. According to article 13.8 of the NHL/NHLPA CBA - "The Commissioner may take whatever steps he deems necessary to investigate the circumstances under which a Player is Loaned on a Conditioning Loan. If the Commissioner has reason to believe or determines that the Club has used the Conditioning Loan to evade the Re-Entry Waivers, or otherwise Circumvent any provision of this Agreement, he may take such disciplinary action against the Club, as he deems appropriate. "

The Sabres attempted to send Grigorenko to Rochester (AHL) on a conditioning assignment because he has not appeared ready for the NHL at this point in his young career. Conditioning assignment's are typically used for players coming off of injuries - which Grigorenko is not. He is back with the Sabres today, no word on what Buffalo will do next.

Source:
John Vogl 2013-11-20T10:39:18.000Z
Mikhail Grigorenko
Rasmus Ristolainen(D)|PHI
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The Sabres reassigned Rasmus Ristolainen to Rochester (AHL).

Ristolainen was the eighth overall pick in this year's NHL Draft, but will head to Rochester for seasoning. The Sabres don't appear to be a playoff team so allowing their young talent to develop in Rochester is a logical move for the Sabres future. Ristolainen is known more for his defence than his offence, he had one goal in 19 games.

Source:
Bill Hoppe 2013-11-19T12:49:51.000Z
Rasmus Ristolainen
Johan Larsson(LW)|FA
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The Sabres have reassigned Johan Larsson to Rochester (AHL).

Larsson was a healthy scratch in the last three games and had just one assist in 17 games. The Sabres had an extremely young team, but changed that by sending multiple players to Rochester and juniors. Larsson like many of Buffalo's young skaters has a bright future ahead of him, but is not fantasy relevant at this time.

Source:
Bill Hoppe 2013-11-19T12:46:08.000Z
Johan Larsson
Nikita Zadorov(D)|BOS
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Nikita Zadorov has been assigned to the London Knights (OHL).

Zadorov was the 16th overall pick in this year's NHL Entry Draft. He only played in seven games with the Sabres so the first year of his entry level contract will not be in effect this season. He heads back to London where he had six goals and 25 points in 63 games last season.

Source:
@BuffaloSabres 2013-11-19T12:40:16.000Z
Nikita Zadorov
Mikhail Grigorenko(C)|FA
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The Sabres have sent Mikhail Grigorenko to Rochester (AHL) on a conditioning stint.

Sabres head coach Ted Nolan said that his team has too many teenagers on the team, but that changed today when they sent four players down. There were rumblings that Grigorenko was going to go back to the QMJHL but the Quebec Ramparts already have their two import players so Grigorenko goes to Rochester and is expected to be back with the Sabres soon. Grigorenko will get a chance to play big minutes in the AHL and regain some confidence in his game.

Source:
Mike Harrington 2013-11-19T12:01:38.000Z
Mikhail Grigorenko
Mike Murphy(G)|INA
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The Hurricanes have reassigned Mike Murphy to Charlotte (AHL).

Murphy served as Justin Peters backup for 10 games while Cam Ward was on IR. Ward was activated and will start tonight so Murphy heads back to Charlotte where he is 1-2-0 with a 3.81 GAA and .873 SV%.

Source:
Chip Alexander 2018-07-18T17:53:27.679Z
Travis Morin(C)|
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The Dallas Stars have reassigned forward Travis Morin to the Texas Stars (AHL)

Morin, 29, was recalled from Texas on November 12 and appeared in Dallas' last three contests, where he registered two shots and a plus-1 rating. Prior to being recalled, he led the AHL with 24 points (10G / 14 A) in 13 games this season. Morin was also selected as the AHL Player of the Month for October, registering 19 points in eight games (8G / 11A).

Source:
Dallas Stars 2013-11-18T12:43:27.000Z
Travis Morin
Aaron Rome(D)|INA
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The Stars have recalled defenseman Aaron Rome from Texas (AHL).

Rome, 30, has skated in eight games for Texas this season, registering one assist and a plus-1 rating. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound defenseman was Los Angeles' fourth-round selection (104th overall) in the 2002 NHL Draft and was signed by Dallas as a free agent on July 1, 2012.

Source:
Dallas Stars 2018-07-18T17:53:10.008Z
Johan Gustafsson(G)|
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The Wild have reassigned Johan Gustafsson to Iowa (AHL).

Gustafsson did not appear in a game for Minnesota and will return to Iowa where he is 3-1-0 with a 2.45 GAA and .920 SV%. Darcy Kuemper has been recalled to backup Josh Harding.

Source:
Michael Russo 2013-11-18T12:28:56.000Z
Johan Gustafsson
Brian Gibbons(C)|FA
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The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled forward Brian Gibbons from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL).

Gibbons, 25, has led the way offensively for WBS this season, posting team-high totals with 15 assists and 22 points in 15 games played. His 15 assists lead the AHL, while his 22 points rank third in the league. He could make his NHL debut tonight vs. Anaheim.

Source:
Pittsburgh Penguins 2013-11-18T10:17:37.000Z
Brian Gibbons
Anders Nilsson(G)|FA
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The Islanders have recalled Anders Nilsson from Bridgeport (AHL).

Nilsson, 23, was the 62nd overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. In 11 appearances with Bridgeport this season, Nilsson is 3-6-1 with a 3.57 GAA and .880 SV%. Nilsson does not figure to see too much action, Kevin Poulin is expected to make the vast majority of the Isles starts with Evgeni Nabokov on IR.

Source:
@NYIslanders 2013-11-18T10:16:17.000Z
Anders Nilsson
Dmitry Orlov(D)|CAR
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The Capitals have recalled Dmitry Orlov from Hershey (AHL).

Orlov has been recalled with Mike Green (lower-body) landing on IR. Orlov has recorded three goals and 20 points in 65 games over three seasons with the Capitals. He has yet to dress for Washington this season, but has two goals and eight points in eight games with Hershey (AHL).

Source:
Adam Vingan 2013-11-17T17:24:56.000Z
Dmitry Orlov
Ilya Bryzgalov(G)|FA
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The Edmonton Oilers have recalled Ilya Bryzgalov from Oklahoma City (AHL).

After signing with the Oilers last weekend, Bryzgalov went to Oklahoma City for two starts. He went 1-1-0 with a 3.03 GAA and .880 SV%. With the Oilers struggling, Bryz is a risky fantasy netminder, but if he can find his game he could solidify the Oilers goaltending trouble. He could make his Oilers debut on Tuesday vs. Columbus.

Source:
Stephen Whyno 2013-11-17T15:49:17.000Z
Ilya Bryzgalov
Antti Raanta(G)|FA
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The Blackhawks have recalled Antti Raanta from Rockford (AHL).

Nikolai Khabibulin has played poorly this season and was injured on Saturday. Raanta, 24, is 7-5-0 with a 2.83 GAA and .914 SV% in 14 appearances for Rockford this season. It is his first season in North America, he spent 2007-13 playing in the SM-liiga.

Source:
Mark Lazerus 2013-11-17T14:48:15.000Z
Antti Raanta
Connor Murphy(D)|CHI
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The Coyotes have recalled Connor Murphy from Portland (AHL).

Murphy was the 20th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Draft. The 20-year-old played two seasons in the OHL with the Sarnia Sting posting 44 points (14 G / 30 A) in 68 games. This season he has five assists in 10 games with Portland. He will enter the lineup with Derek Morris and Zbynek Michalek unlikely to play.

Source:
Sarah McLellan 2013-11-16T13:44:16.000Z
Connor Murphy

NHL Roster Moves

NHL roster moves are essentially transactions that alter a team’s lineup. The roster move could make the team better or worse. In some cases, the move is inconsequential. Fan favourites could leave for greener pastures. A struggling player could get sent down to the farm team. A lousy contract might get put on waivers. Even worse, players may get strategically buried on the long-term injury reserve list because they’re not worth the cap hit. The possibilities are somewhat endless.

Types of NHL Roster Moves

Don’t worry; Daily Faceoff has you covered when trying to grasp the concept of a league ruled by the complexities of the almighty salary cap. Below, we break down the strategy behind roster moves so you can get a leg up in your DFS league.

Free agent signings

NHL rosters are primarily constructed by player signings. The front office reaches out to what are referred to as “free agents.” Both the front office and the player’s agent work out the terms of a deal. How teams sign deals varies depending on what type of free agents they’re dealing with.

Rookie Deals

Rookie’s sign something called an entry-level contract which is usually capped at a certain amount of money per year. Under the NHL’s current collective bargaining agreement, the longest an entry-level contract can be signed is three years.

Restricted Free Agent Contracts

After that, a player becomes a restricted free agent (RFA). Technically, they can sign with teams outside of who they played for in the past season by accepting an offer sheet. That said, if the player’s first team extends a qualifying offer, any team competing for the player’s services will have to offer up a certain amount of compensation in the form of draft picks. Of course, that’s if the player agrees to the offer sheet and their current team doesn’t match it.

Unrestricted Free Agent Contracts

Players can become unrestricted free agents (UFA) when their current RFA deal is up and they can go wherever they want. If they sign a contract extension, they can sign for up to eight years. Alternatively, they can sign a seven-year deal if they test the open market. Fun fact: pending UFAs might be motivated to play their hearts out to secure the bag in their next deal. Keep that in mind, fantasy players.

Blockbuster trades

Trades make for some of the most interesting NHL roster moves. To this day, the infamous Patrick Roy deal still gets talked about in NHL circles. What happens in a trade is that two or maybe even three teams link up and iron out a deal. There might be deals that are referred to as “hockey trades,” meaning that both teams get something of equal value. For example, one team gives up a first-line centre for a top-pairing right-handed defenceman. Some NHL trades involve bad teams selling off their moveable assets, such as upcoming free agents, for future considerations, including draft picks or prospects.

Injuries

Depending on how badly a player gets injured, several things can happen. They can be out of a game or two, with the team opting to keep the severity of the injury private (a common pet peeve for fantasy players). Players can be put on the injury reserve for injuries that can keep them out for a calendar week. This frees up a roster spot so someone from within the team’s system, or sometimes outside of it, can come in and replace them while they’re getting back in tip-top shape. If the player needs over a week to recover after a serious injury, they will get put on long-term injury reserve.

Waivers

In typical NHL roster moves jargon, when a player goes on waivers, other teams can claim them from their current team. A player usually goes on waivers when they’re signed to a one-way deal, meaning they can’t be sent down to the minors willy-nilly like a rookie on a two-way deal. Before the player gets sent down, other teams can claim the player on the “waiver wire.” If the player isn’t claimed, they go to the minors to play in the AHL.

Call Ups

Outside of signings, player callups are one of the most popular NHL transactions. Most teams call up players when they’re performing well in the AHL or if there’s an injury on the main roster. Usually, when a player gets called up to the NHL, one gets sent down to the minors.

Contract Buyouts

Of course, you’ve probably worked with someone who’s pretty lazy. People from afar think that person is a “good fit,” but internally, everyone hates the person. Oftentimes, that person finds a way to get fired. Well, newsflash: the same thing happens in NHL dressing rooms. Sometime players who have a history of poor performance have the audacity to ask for more money come contract time. Their team has the option to buyout their contract, or in extreme cases of misconduct, their contract can be terminated. If they’re not being bought out, the front office is laughing while the player’s agent is showing themselves out of the building. For the players who are actually good and could command big bucks on the open market, teams hustle to get them signed up for a new deal. If the player hits the open market, all bets are off…. Coaching Changes

Losing a head coach that sucked at their job and replacing them with a new one can ignite a team. Historically, decent teams perform strongly when they get a new coach. For how long those “strong performances” sustain themselves over the course of a season is a whole other story.

Rules Around NHL Roster Moves

NHL rules aren’t made to be broken. If they’re written in the collective bargaining agreement (CBA), you may as well say they’re written in stone. Let’s talk about those “set in stone” rules.

Trade Deadline

Teams have a certain amount of time each season to make NHL trades and signings. The date varies from season to season, but it usually falls between the end of February and early March so that roster’s are set before the Stanley Cup playoffs begin. After the deadline, players can still be moved, but they will not be eligible to play for the rest of the regular season or playoffs. You’ll usually see prospects who are playing abroad get dealt after the deadline, if any trades are made at all.

[Editor’s note: can include link to new DFO Stanley Cup page here]

Strategy Behind NHL Roster Moves

General managers and hands-on hockey ops executives are always thinking about the future. If their team is going to miss the playoffs and it’s a good draft year, they might be inclined to sell, meaning they’ll try to offload decent players in return for cap space, draft picks and younger players. The opposite can be said for good teams. They’ll be looking to add to what they already have to make a run for the cup.

If you’re a DFS player or even in a dynasty league, you can exploit that by buying low on players who are playing for bad teams but have the potential to increase their production if they get traded to a good team. Having access to a good data set can help ease the trouble of anticipating how good a player will be going to and from a certain team.

The Salary Cap

When general managers sleep at night, they probably have nightmares about the salary cap. “The cap,” as hockey insiders like Frank Seravalli refer to it when discussing NHL transactions, dictates how much a team can spend on its roster. There’s a “floor,” meaning a team has to spend at least this much per year. Then, there’s a “ceiling” that teams can’t go over lest they pay the price in draft pick compensation and fines, amongst other things. The salary cap makes it difficult for teams to trade players with high cap hits. It also creates a market in itself for teams that want to get over the “floor” by taking on other teams’ bad contracts. In a world beyond reality, most would favour a luxury tax system like the one Major League Baseball implements.

How NHL Roster Moves Impact Sports Betting

Look, if you don’t want to put up with another year of getting beat by your co-worker’s child in fantasy, you have to put as much effort into your team as that 10-year-old weasel will. That means keeping up with the news. Changing your lineups on a daily basis. Trading players at their peak value. Buying them from others when they’re at their lowest. For the love all of things good, change your injured players out for healthy ones. If you’re a sports bettor, any NHL roster can change the money line or the total in a game, especially if a star player is hurt or a team is playing its third-string goalie. Staying in the loop will give bettors a better chance at finding an edge.